Everyone enjoys music and everyone has their own taste in it. But no matter what people think about, there is one common thread with everyone who partakes in this past time, it is a catharsis which makes life seem a little less boring. That’s why you have the opportunity to listen to as much music as you want by converting your MP4 to MP3. Basically an MP4 is for video and audio, while an MP3 is just for audio.

You can convert dozens to audio formats to MP3, including AAC, OGG, and M4A. MPEG-1, MPEG-4, AVI, and MOV are just some of the MP3 extracted from MP4 to satisfy your listening pleasure. The MP4 to MP3 converter makes the files compatible to listen on a handful of MP3 music players. The files are compatible with Zune, iPod shuffles, iPod nanos, iRiver, and Creative Zen Vision. The files are converted with a Bitrate calculator which compresses any output file into any size. There are various adjustable parameters available in this program such as decoding CD, converting pointed segment to MP3, and converting multiples files at once.

This program is very easy to use and very user-friendly. All you need to do is load the source file and hit the convert button. While waiting for the conversion process to be completed, you can surf the web or continue doing your work because you have the option of running the program in background until the process is complete. When the conversion is done it will automatically perform the task complete actions.

Here’s a few USB powered microphones and kits made for podcasting or the like. When USB microphones first came into this world they got a bad rep among professionals. Since then it seems like things have change, at least a bit. I have no idea about how good these particular microphones are though, so you’ll have to try them for yourself.
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If you’re the techie type of podcaster, you’d be very open to buying different gadgets to help you in your podcasts.

If you want to record your phone interviews with an exceptional level of quality you should get a handset tap. For example, a great gadget is the QuickTap manufactured by JK Audio. The $60 device will fit in between the phone base and the handset. It has an analog audio input that can be used to attach to a computer. Of course, the limitation of the QuickTap is that it will only work on a traditionally wired phone setup.

Of course, there are other devices available in various stores that will allow you to record phone conversations. Just look at the features and check which ones you will need.

The last post I made was on how to reduce background noise when recording. It is interesting to note that the PC itself can cause significant background noise that can creep into your podcast. That’s why, one great workaround to a cleaner, background noise-free recording would be to totally eliminate the PC from the recording process.

There are small gadgets in the market that allow you to record audio for your podcasts without the use of a PC. These standalone digital recorders are easy to use, very portable and allow you a great deal of leeway in terms of creating the perfect recording space.

One of the best standalone digital recorders out there is the Zoom H2. At just 200 dollars, the H2 is the perfect companion for the budding podcaster. Its size is quite diminutive and yet despite its size it is capable of recording CD quality sound. The recordings are stored automatically on the SD card that you insert on the SD card slot. Propping up the H2 is easy as it comes with two different stands — a small handle and a tripod like stand.

You can record your podcast using the H2’s very good onboard mics (it has more than one), or you can also use another mic because it has a mic adapter. finished recordings can also be transferred through a USB port.

One more of the fundamental tips is to keep your distance from the mic which most people forget for with proper distance (which by the way you get only with experience with your setup) from the mic for whatever cost you may have spent on a mic use it wrong and you get trash. Mic filters, wind screens and many other stuff will get you respectable audio yet if you are still in the learning curve, try this trick, make a distance cue, say a pencil with the tip coated with some fluorescent paint to make it stand out and focus on the proper distance using it as a guide till you get it to sink in. More →

HHB, a professional audio equipment manufacturer from the UK has shipped 10,000 of these wonderful mics, and with good reason, it’s portable, easy to use with no wires and has a built in flash memory that allows you to record on the go. This is a very nifty feature for podcasters who often do their work on-the-fly for what easier and lighter way to do a recording than with a flashmic that can store over 18 hours of uninterrupted audio for your compilation of materials that you can use for your podcast. The mic is durable enough for the rigors of portable recording and is easy enough to use without the need for a wire leading to the USB port on your laptop (tired recording impromptu on your laptop on-the-go) More →

Want MP3 Podcasts without much work, then why not try using the Marantz PMD-620, which records straight to MP3, no conversions necessary. this has been a common problem with podcasts, wav files are too large yet are the easiest ones to edit for they contain very detailed sound information. Mp3’s however are easier to transport and are smaller in file size thus more economical for all to use. The PMD620 has been around for quite sometime and it has been used by many a podcasters. Marantz is considered to be one of the best producer’s of audio equipment along with their other powerful digital recorders they have managed to keep their edge with their robust design and More →